Box-end-stapling machine.



0. C. THGMFSON.

Box END STAPLING MACHzNE j ya APPLICATION FLED FEE. 12| 1912 A l i 1,@9595336'1 Fatemed Feb. 20, 1919.

0. C, THOMPSON.

BOX END STAPLING MACHINE. APPLICATIN man FEB.12.19|2. QQQQB?. l Pnente. Feb. 25, w19.

' 4 sHEETs-sHEE12.

0. C. THUIVIPSOI\!4 BOX END STAPLING MACHINE.

APPUCATION FILED FEB. i2. 'xHI' n 1 1,295,237, Patene be. 9o7 1919.

4 SHEETSMSHEEI 3.

O, C. THOR/EPSONl BOX END STAPLING MACHINE.

APPLILATION FILED FEB. 12. i912.

ltented Feb. 25,- 1919.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb., 25., 1919.

Application filed February 12, 1912:. Serial No. 677,190.

flo all 107mm t may concern:

it known that l", @sonora C. Titolarsoii, a citizerrof the United States,` and a resident oi New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented an lmproveinent in BoX-End-Stapling Machines, of which the following description, in connection Tvith the accompanying dra Y1ings, is a specification, like characters on the dran'- ings representing like parts.

This invention relates to box end staplingmachines and is intended to provide various improvements contributing to exiedite and simplify the foi-ming, ieeding and drivingA n 'i 'i u V e invention may be read'iy u nd/rsLood by reference to an illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings in whichi i gere l a plan 'View of the illustrative embodiment of my invention;

liig. 2 is perspective view orf the end portion oit a box illustrating the staples driven thereinto and securing the box end against the inner faces of the end cleats oie the Wirebound box blank;

llig. 3 is a sectional view partly in elevation on tle line 3 3 of l;

is an elevation of Ythe machine broken away as viewed 'from the h and side of Fig. 3;

- o is a detail section on the line detail section 'at an enlarged line of l5 Z is a detail plan vi w at an enlarged t ie Wire feeding devices, Wire cutting Yu fices and staple forming devices;

v is a detail elevation partly in ver- `.`cal section of the former plate' and its detent springs;

eilig.' 9 is detail section at an enlarged scale on 'the line 9-9 of 3;

'1. l0 is a detail plan at an enlarge' a portion ci 'the onra'notion 'feed- 0 'is a detail elevation at an enlarged seal" the Wire cutting devices and wipers illu ating particularly the coperative action olf the cutting devices; and,

`lig. 'l is a detail plan section ,l larged scale on the line l2--`l2 ot Il.

Referring to Figs. l and 3, the illustrad tive mechanism comprises a cani shaiit driven in any suitable manner as for eX- ample by a clutch mechanism hereinafter described, said shaft carrying the various actuating cams for the machine, the same being timed as `hereinafter explained.

Fixed upon the shaft l5 is a forming disk 16 carrying on the periphery thereof c0- operating Wipers 1.7-17 (see particularly 6 and .7), staple feeding cams 18-18 (see Fig. 6) and a wire cutter 19 (see Fig. 7 As shown in 7 the Wipers 17-17 are spaced apart euliciently to receive between them, as the disk 16 is rotated, a former plate 20. As shown in Figs. l and a, the wire or other staple material 21 may be provided on a reel from which it is fed between a knurled feed Wheel 22 and an idle presser Wheel`23, the latter being preferably grooved peripherally suitably to engage the wire. The feed Wheel 22v is positively driven by a ratchet and pawl mechanism Well shown in Figs. l and 7, in which the ratchet 2st is engaged by a spring pressed paw] connected to a cani lever 26 pivoted at 27. rifhe lever 26 carries a rollQS to e'na Wire feeding cam 29 on the cam sha l5. l

From the feeding rolls the Wire 21 enters a guide tube 30, from which the wire issues at a shearing blade 3l (see Figs. l and 7). The shearing blade 3l cooperates with a mating blade on the cutter 19, the latter being adjustably carried as shown in Fig. 7 on the disk i6, For the purposes of adjustment, thecutter- 19 is provided with a screw threaded shank 32 having screw threaded engagement vith the internal bore of a dii'ierential adjusting nut 33. The adjusting nut 33 in turn is externally screw threaded to engage a suitable support herein a bracket Si secured to the face of the disk 16, The cutter 19 is non-rotatably mounted in the bracket 34 with the consequence that when the nut 33 is rotated the cutter is longitudinally adjusted. The bracket 341 is provided With a recess 35 which receives a helical `spring 36 encircling, the shank of the cutter and bearing at one end against the inner end of the nut 38, thus providing a yielding resistance which prevents accidental turning movement of the nut. By the adjustii'ig means just described, the cutter 19 may be adjusted with respect to the shearing blade 31 as it becomes necessary from time to time to grind the cooperating faces of the cutters. The tube 30 may also be longitudinally adjusted and provided with a set screw 37 whereby the tube also may be adjusted as it becomes necessary to grind its shearing blade.

The feed of the wire by the described pawl and ratchet mechanism is such that each feeding step projects the Wire a distance beyond the shearing blade 31 sufficient to provide Wire for a single staple when the same is severed. Preferably the blade on the cutter 19 and the shearing blade 31 sever the. wire obliquely to its axis to provide a point to facilitate the driving of the staple.

As the wire 21 is fed beyond the shearing blade 31, it passes beneath the former plate 20, as shown in Figs. 3 and (i and when severed. presents equal lengths of wire at opposite. sides of the former plate 20. said equal lengths being subsequently turned up wardly to form the legs of the staple.

When a length of staple '.vire is thus positioned beneath the. former plate 20. it is severed by the cutter 19 and is held in place after the staple forming operation by means of a retainer 3S (see ll`igs. :l and 6). qubsequently and promptly following the severing operation. the rotation of the disk 16 presents the wipers 17%17 beneath the. severed length of wire and then wipes the opposite ends of the wire upwardly to form a staple upon the former plate. with the staple legs on opposite sides of the plate, as shown in Fig. i.

Preferably, the foi-mers lil-17 are separately mounted upon the disk 1G herein by means of a screw or bolt 39 so that they may be removed `and ground upon their inner faces to correct. them for the wear which naturally takes plaee due to their wiping action upon the legs of the staple.

The staple formed. as just. deserilad` stands temporarily il such a position that it would obstruct the. next following feed ot the wire to present a new staple length; but in the further rotation of the disk 1G, the, staple feeding rains 18 engage. the newly formed staple 'and wipe it. out. of the path of the/Wire feed in an obvious manner. Thereafter, the wire feeding and staple forming operations ensue as above. described.

Preferably the Wipers 17-17 are provided on their opposed or inner fares with grooves lO-lO to receive. the legs ot the staple. Preferably, also. the, wipers are, provided with notches or depressions t1-'t1, which assist in guiding and positioning the wire.

In a staple forming and feeding mechanism, it is highly desirable and in fact substantially indispensable that some means be provided for controlling the staples as they are. formed in order that they shall be presented in proper condition to the feeding devices and to that end I employ detent springs or other suitable means to en gage newly formed staples and hold them in desired position until they are presented to and engaged by feeding devices. Referring to Figs. 'i' and 8. the former plate 2l) is provided on its underside with a de-l tent spring l2 suitably secured thereto as by means of a screw t3. rl`his spring `is provided with a depemling projection 4,1 rounded at its rear side to permit the heel or base portion of the staples to easily passl toward the left (see Fig. S) but having at its forward side an abrupt shoulder to prevent retrograde movement of the Staples. 'l`ht` lormer plate is also provided with a. detent spring l5 seeured thereto in any suitable manner as t'or example, by means of a screw lli and having two resilient arms -lT-lT inelined toward the left (see Fig. 7) and terminating in abrupt shouhlers as elarly shown in said ligure. thtl free ends ot' said arms being turned inwardly toward earh other through an aperture lh provided in the former plate 2li. 'lhis detent spring serves to engage the legs or points of the staples and while it permits the. staples to pass freely toward the left. (see Figs. tl and 7). it prevents the staples from toppling over toward the disk lt and its attached parts as would be the natural tendency of the staples were it not for the provision of this means. as will be evident from an inspection of Fig. (L ln this wa". when the staples have been formed and pushed along the former plate 'l0 by the rains 18m-ld. the staples are prevented from inter'l'ering` with the wire feed.

When the feeding rams lbmlt leave a newly formedstaple, the latter stands with itsI legs projecting vertically upward and the staple. is then controlled by the detent means just described. lVhen the. next /suc- (feeding staple. is formed and fed forward by the cams 18m-1S. the preceding staples are pushed the. width of one staple towattl the left in Fig. li; and in a sueeessioi of these operations. the. staples are ultimately pi'e:..iited to feeding devices whieh. in the iilusirative meehanism, positivelyl engage them and feed them in a series to any 'desired point as. for instance. to a driving point. l

. The illustrative feeding mechanism romprises a gi'iide plate. -l-ll abutting against the end of t'he. former plate 20 and eonslituting in etl'ect a continuation of the latter, s-

the staples are fed from the former plate 2li to the guide plate ttl.'tlu-y straddle the latter with their legs projecting upwardly ISU es-sliown in Fig. 9 and rest upon a supporting plate 50 which is in effect an extension of he support 38, the plate 50 preferably extending throughout the feeding travel of the staples. 'lfhof'guide plate 50 in the specific mechanism, jierforms merely a guiding and holding function 'while the feediuf.Y operation is performed by oppositely disposed 51--51 which are serlo rated vertically to engage by their serra tions a series of staples. The operation of the specific jaws i-51is 'that of the socalled four-motion feed that is to say at the end of a feeding movement toward it the left in Fig. i0, the jaws are moved i apart; they are then moved' toward the right in l0, are ther, moved toward each other to renewed engagement with the staples and are then moved toward the left Vin i@ feed the staples through a desired feed step. y

The 'View of this four-motion feed mechanism in Fig, i@ is largely fragmen tary, it being unnecessary to shew or describe the same in great detail since the specific mechanism is not novel in my invention save in combination with other features recited in the claims. 'ft will suiiice to saya therefore, that each javv 5i rests in sliding 3e Contact upon the upper face of the plate 50 as shown in lFig. 9a and each janT is transiiXed by a pin 52 mounted in rocking arm pivoted at '52 pass through elongated slots provided in 315 the plate which permit that movement of the pins 52 by which. the jaws 51-51 are moved toward and away from each other during the four-motion feed.7

in practice, it is preferred 'that the pins e@ 52. arms and pivotsid'yas just described and as illnstratedin Figs, 9 and l0 be duplicated near the left hand end of the four-motion feeding devices, as shown in Figs. 'i and B in order that each jan1 may be' controlled two points. The jaws al-l are pressed. toward each other by means of pairs of springs 55-55, two bea-'ring against each jaw, said springs being mounted upon. :the stationary plate The effect of the springs is to press both thejaivs toward the plate 49 so that each leg of each staple ni'il be yieldingly engaged between a jaw and a side of 4the guide plate 49. The jaws 5i-5i are separated by forcing Wedge-shaped cams .56-56 between the ends of'each pair of arms 53-53 which carry the pins 'These cams carried/upon a slide bar 57 mounted in appropijiate guide jvvays secured to 5u brackets depending from and seeuredto the guide bar 49, said slide bar having pivoted to it at a link (Si connecting 1' with a second link 62. the forward i 'lich is supported as hereinafter de- ;i'o the portion of iinlr 54. te the plate 50.. The pins 62, there is pivoted a long link 63 connect-- ing With a cam lever G-l fulcrumed at 65 and having a roller GG to engage a cam 67 secured to the cani shaft l5. The operation f the cam G7 is such that at appropriate 70 intervals the wedge-shaped cams 56 are moved toward the right in Fig. 3 to force the pins 52 apart to release the staples from feeding engagement with the jaws 51e-5l so that thereafter said jaws may be 75 moved toward the right in Figs. 3 and 10 into position for rene-Wed engagement with the staples. Y

fleretofore in this description, it has been convenient to refer to the plate 50 asv being 80 stationary and during the lateral movements of the jaws 5l-5l, said plate is in fact stationary; but the endwise movement of the jaws 51-51 is effected by moving the pla-te 50 endwise and for this purpose said 85 plate has a depending lug (38 which is connected by a link (59 with a cam lever 70 fulcruined at Z1 and having a cani roll 7'2 engaging a cam 73. The operation of the cam T3 is to move endwise at l rope intervals 90. the plate 50 and those parts carried thereby including the jaws 5l-51, pins S2-52, arms 52 53, pivots 5LP-54 and springs l55-55.

rfhe timing of the Lfour-motion feeding cams 67 and 73 will be readily understood 95 by those skilled in the art Without further description. l

rihe operation of that portion of the illustrative machine which has already been described in detail is as follows: y

The Wire feeding paivl and ratchet mechanism feeds in a length of )vii-e; the rotating disk 16 first presents the cutter 19 to sever the Wire against the shearing blade 3l; the wipers 17-17 wipe the severed Wire 105 up on opposite sides of the former plate 20; the feeding cams 18-18 on the disk 16 move the staple toward the left in Figs. 1, 3 and 6; and ultimately as successive staples are so formed and fed by the feeding cams 18-18, 110 the staples are presented in position to be engaged by the jaws 51-51 as the latter are movedtowardeach other at the limit of their movement toward the right in Figs. l, 3 and l0, the cams .56#56 having been ro- 115 tated toward the left in Figs. l, 3 and 10 in order to permit the springs 55 55 to press the jaws 51-51` into feeding engagement with the staples just at or after the jaws have completed their endwise travel toward the right in Figs. l, 3 and 10. The staples being thus engaged by the jaws 3i-51, the latter are moved toward the left preferably toa distance through the thickness of the staple Wire in order to feed the staples to- Ward the left in Figs. l, 3 and 10. At the end of such a feed step, the cams 56-56 are ine-ved toward the right again to force the jaws 5i 5i apart and release the staples, whereupon said jaws are returned toward M0 the right in Figs. 1, 3 and 10 for renewed engagement with the staples.

I will now proceed to describe the mechanism by means of which the boxes are held and the staples driven in an upward direction from the inner faces of the box ends.

Referring to Figs. l and 3, the frame of the machine comprises a hollow column 7l and an upper forwardly projecting portion bifurcatcd vertically and horizontally and presenting an upper skeleton arm 75 and a lower skeleton'arm 7G. Mounted to slide in a. vertical guide 77 in the forward end of the arm 76 is a plunger or staple driver 78 provided along its lower portion with a rack 78. Meshing with this rack is a` segmental gear 79 pivoted at 80 and having an arm 81 pivotally connected to the forward end of the link 62. By these connections and the link G3 and cam lever 64, the staple driver 78 is reciprocated at appropriate inter Yals in the operation of the machine by the cam 67. Mounted in a guide 82 in the forward end of the arm 75 is a vertically reciprocal anvil or clenclier bar 83 provided with a rack 8i meshing with a lsegmental gear 85 pivoted at 86. The segmental gear is provided with an arm 87 to which is pivoted a link 88 connected to a. cam lever 89 pivoted at 90 and carr ving a cam roll 91 engaging a cam 92 secured to the cam shaft 15, said roll being held against said cam by a spring 93. The. link 88 is provided between its ends with a turn buckle 94 by means of which it may be lengthened 0r shortened, as may be desired. The link is also provided between its ends with suitable yielding means herein a spring 95 (see Figs. 1 and 3) interposed between two distinct portions of the link and serving as a means for providing for a yielding pressure of the anvil or clcncher bar 83 upon the box under the action of the cam 92. At each rotation of the shaft 15 the segmental gears 79 and are moved to actuate the staple driver and anvil or clencllcr bar 83 to ward and away from each other at proper intervals in the operation of the machine.

The cam shaft 15 is provided with suitable driving means preferably consist-ing of a clutch adapted to be clutched to a constantly rotated pulley 9G so as to be rotated one rotation onlyand stoppinfr always in one position, to wit. the initialiposition of the. driving parts with a staple in position ready to be driven at the next operation.

rlhe `preferred clutch employed for this purpose is as follows:

Carried by the. constantly rotating pulley 96 is a driving clutch member 97. Secured to ihc cam shaft 15 is a cooperating driven clutch member 98 adapted to be coupled to the driving member 97 in any suitable manner. as for example. by means of a clutch pin 99 mounted to slide longitiulimilly in the clutch member 98 and having an inclined end 100 adapted to enter a similarly inclined recess 101 provided in the end of the driving clutch member 97. This pin is normally urged toward the driving clutch member 97 by means of a helical spring 102 encircling said pin. The driven clutch member 98 is provided with a circumferential groove 103 across which is placed a fixed pin 104 which normally abuts against the upper extremity of stopping and starting lever 105 having in its length a spring 10G tending to elongate the same, said lever being ful crumed at 107 so as to be capable of being swung into and out of the groove `103 and hence into and out of the path of the pin 104. The lever 105 is operated by any suitable means, herein a` link connecting said lever to an arm 109 of a bell crank lever 110, the other arm 111 of said bell crank lever being pivotally connected with the up )er end of a treadle rod 112. The lower en( of the treadle rod is pivoted to a trcadle or foot lever 113 .fulcrumed at 114 and there is provided a suitable Q exerting a downward pull on the treadle rod 112.

The sliding clutch pill 99 is provided with a groove 113 noruially registering with the circuinferential groove 103 of the driven clutchmember 98, as shown in Fig. 4. This groove is provided at its right-hand side (see Fig. al) with an inclined face 114 adapted to engage the right-hand face of the upper extremity of the lever 105 (see Fig. 4) when the latter enters the circumferential groove 10i-3. When during the rotation of the driven clutch member 98, the inclined face 11sl engages the lever 105, the clutch pin 99 is withdrawn from engagement with the recess 101 in the driving clutch member .97. ibsequently and immediately following such withdrawal of the clutch pin, the fixed pin104v brings` up against the upper extremity of the lever 105. When this takes place, the rotation of the driven clutch member 98 is stopped; by this itis meant, that its further free rotation is opposed and such opposition to the rotation is yielding owing to the provision of the cushioning spring 106 which permits the upper portion of the lever 105 to vield downwardly to a certain extent. Naturally, under such circumstances. there is a tendency for the. driven clutch member 98 and the parts connected thereto and driven thereby to rebound or, in other words, rotate in the reverse diret-tion under the action of the cusl.ioni1ig spring 10G. To pref venty such reverse rotation or rebound. there is provided a positive stopherein, a pivoted dog 110 which permits rotation of the driven clutch member 98 under the action of the driven clutch member 97 but automatically acts to stop the reverse rotative movement 0f the driven member by engaging a tooth lor shoulder 117 provided in the periphery of spring 115 normally' where the staples are to be driven.

aidisk 118 secured to the cani shait When the operator lifts his foot from the treadle 113, the clutch mechanism just de.

scribed serves to bring the operative parts of the machine to a state of rest in their initial position ready for the driving' et another staple.

In the manufacture or" boxes oi' the type illustrated in Fig. 2, the sides, bottom and top of the boi are previously assembled and provided with suitable cleats at their extremities. In the use of the present` inachine, the `box ends are then assembled against' the inner faces of the cleats as illustratcd in Fig. 2.Y The box ends are then fastenedy to tlil cleats by' means of staples driven from thc'inner face of the box end through the latter and into the cleats. ri`his is done by placing the box parts upon the machine in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 resting upon the support Jformed by the arm 76 and with the box end extending' into the gap between the'arrns 75 and 76. The operator then movesthe assembled box parts along positioning them over the staple driver To drive a staple, he presses down upon the treadle 113 thus bringing the clutch into action as hereinbeiore described. i staple which has been fed from the point Where it was formed, as hereinbefore described, ar-- rives with its points or legs up-standing in the guide 77 above the driver 78. rllie anvilv or clencher bar 83 is then automatically pressed downwardly upon the bos cleatand the driver drives a staple upwardly through the boX end and into the cleat as shown in Fig. 3. While the staple is being thus driven, another staple 'is being formed by the staple forming parts, as hereinbetore described and is discharged onto the guide bar 49 by which the staple is retained throughout in the inverted position in which it was formed or, in other Words, the staple is formed, fed and delivered to the driving mechanism always with its legs or points upstanding. Hence the feeding .et the staples is greatly facilitated and can be aoco@ plished much more accur tely and 1th greater certainty than is the ease Where the staple is Jtermed right-side-up or with its legs depending and afterward inverted before being presented to the driven mechanism. l

While l have herein shown and described one form of my invention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosed and discussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental to one specic application thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts nor to its specific application herein shown but that extensive deviations from the illustrative form or einbodiment of the invention may be made without departingl from the thereof.

Having thus cescribed my invention, what l claim is:

in a staple forming and .t'eedii nism, the combination oit a lorm, `wipers cooperating with said form to wipe the legs oi the staple in an upward direction, means to iced the staples one by one along said former plate with, their points upstanding, and detent means to in-event retrograde movement of the staples. l

i2. a staple forming and feeding nie-cha nism, the combination oi a former plate, wipers cooperating with said 'iornier Se to Wipe the legs the str-ple in an upward direction, means to 4Qeed the staples =v one along said ornef ng, means to Wine the legs oi staple in direction, means to feed the staples one bj; one along said former folate thir poil upstanding, means to support the 'spies as they are ted 'along said ioriner v detent means including yielding said plate for pern'iitting the stap along said` plate away trom said Wip preventing substantial retrograde nierv et the staples.

ll. ln staple and feeding' nisin, the combination ci a i-orr-i Wipers cooperating said. Wipe the legs of the staple in an upward direction, means to feed the staples one by one alongq said iormer plate with their points npstanding, means to support the staples they are ted along said former plate, yield ing detent means to engage the base portier. of the staple, and yielding detent ineens engage the lateral portions of the s" l 5. ln a staple iScanning and *feeding mech nisni, the combination of a ormer pla Wipers cooperating with said insee: plete to Wipe the legs of the stapl-V in an u... direction, means te engage and ca: t staples one by as formed ous row from the point at ivlicr are formed, means to support the engagement with the bottoms et thei, i and 'other means to engage a row said.

7 In a machine O' the character described,

the combination of :1. guide and former Vplate7 a former disk ullied in the plane thereof, and Wipers extending radially of 5 seid disk tO Wipe the legs Of :L stnpleabout seid guide and former plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my neme to this specification, in the presence Of two subscribing witnesses. y

OSCEOLA C. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. THOMPSON, LOUIS A. JONES. 

